


The wolf who was also a sheep (and a bird and a fish and a whale)

by Tikor



Series: Lunar oral history of the Usurpation to the present [2]
Category: Exalted
Genre: Fanfiction, Gen, storyteller - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-12
Updated: 2016-05-12
Packaged: 2018-06-07 23:39:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 532
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6830110
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tikor/pseuds/Tikor
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The wolf searches for her pack but does not find what she is looking for.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The wolf who was also a sheep (and a bird and a fish and a whale)

The wolf was cold and alone as she stalked the edge of the world. But she did not lose spirit, for she often thought of the best way through bad times. She remembered that in her travels with the golden woman they had met other wolves. She decided to find them and to form a pack.

But the edge of the world was a large and confusing place. She ranged for days and days always calling out "Hello? Are there any wolves around?" For days and days there was no answer.

One day when she was ranging through a strange land unknown to her she heard a response "I am a wolf, what are you?" She was overjoyed to have found more of her kind. She howled back "I, too, am a wolf!" After a few more howls they came to a meeting with one another.

The creature she saw did indeed have the ears and snout and legs and fur of a wolf. But instead of paws the creature had hooves and hooves did not belong on wolves. Atop its head were horns, and horns did not belong on wolves. On its back were wings and wings did not belong on wolves. Along its neck were gills and gills did not belong on wolves. It's tail was a flipper, flat and wide and even with the ground, and flippers did not belong on wolves.

The wolf who was only a wolf said to the wolf who was many things "What kind of wolf are you?"

"I am the kind of wolf that ranges beyond the edge of the world. I have found the Way and it has shaped me."

The wolf who was only a wolf did not know the Way and did not range beyond the edge of the world herself. Beyond the edge lurked things far worse than the fire that burned across Creation. But she was alone, so she asked anyway "Will you be part of my pack?"

The wolf who was many things said to the wolf who was only a wolf "I will eat you and then half and half again."

The wolf who was only a wolf did not like the sound of being eaten. This was no partner to watch her hindquarters at the stream. She bared her fangs and told the wolf who was many things "You will not eat me! Go back beyond the edge of the world!"

The wolves then fought and bit and chased and tumbled. The wolf who was only a wolf ripped off the flipper tail of the wolf who was many things and spat it out on the ground where if flapped and flopped. The wolf who was many things howled in pain and ran past the edge of the world to the Ways beyond. The wolf who was only a wolf put away her fangs and began to lick her wounds. She said to herself "I will find a pack one day." Her words were said surely but her mind was filled with doubt. "In this pack there will be no wolves who are many things." Of this, her mind and her words were both certain.


End file.
